Primo Carnera
Encyclopedia
Primo Carnera was an Italian
boxer
, nicknamed the Ambling Alp, who became the world heavyweight champion.
, then in the Province of Udine
, now Province of Pordenone
, Friuli-Venezia Giulia
(Italy
), Carnera was a remarkable 6 feet 5½ inches (197 cm) tall and weighed 284 pounds (128.8 kg), at a time when the average height in Italy was approximately . Until December 19, 2005, when the 7 ft 1 in, 147 kg Nikolay Valuev won the WBA
title, Jess Willard
who stood 6' 6½" was the tallest champion in boxing history. Carnera was an inch shorter but around 40 lbs heavier and was the heaviest champion in boxing history. He enjoyed a sizable reach advantage over most rivals, and when seen on fight footage, he seems like a towering giant compared to many heavyweights of his era, who were usually at least 60 pounds (27 kg) lighter and 7 inches (18 cm) shorter than he was. One publicity release about him read in part: "For breakfast, Primo has a quart
of orange juice, two quarts of milk, nineteen pieces of toast, fourteen eggs, a loaf of bread and half a pound of Virginia ham." Because of his size, he earned the nickname "The Ambling Alp."
. Carnera won by knockout
in round two. He won his first six bouts, then lost to Franz Diener by disqualification in round one at Leipzig
. Then, he won seven more bouts in a row before meeting Young Stribling
. He and Stribling exchanged disqualification wins, Carnera winning the first in four rounds, and Stribling winning the rematch in round seven. In Carnera's next bout he avenged his defeat to Diener with a knockout in round six.
In 1930, he moved to the United States, where he toured extensively, winning his first seventeen bouts there by knockout. George Godfrey broke the streak in Philadelphia
by disqualification in the fifth round. Carnera lost a decision to Jim Maloney in Boston
to finish 1930.
In 1932, Carnera faced the tallest Heavyweight
in history up to that point, Santa Camarão
, a 6'9" Portuguese
fighter who was three and a half inches taller than he. Carnera won the fight by a 6th round decision
The year 1933 was one of the most important years in Carnera's life. On February 10, he knocked out Ernie Schaaf
in thirteen rounds in New York City
. Schaaf died two days later. For his next fight, Carnera faced the world heavyweight champion Jack Sharkey
. The championship date was June 29, at the Madison Square Garden Bowl
at Long Island. Carnera became world champion by knocking out Sharkey in round six. The fight came under the eye of fans and sportswriters alike when the uppercut that KO'd Sharkey was believed not to have landed. Rumours of a mob fix were brought up causing some to maintain Sharkey threw the fight.
He retained the title against Paulino Uzcudun
(who was attempting to become the first Basque world heavyweight champion) and Tommy Loughran
, both by decision in 15 rounds, but in his next fight June 14, 1934 against Max Baer, Carnera was knocked down 11 times and was defeated in 11 rounds.
After that, Carnera won his next four fights, three of them as part of a South American tour that took him to Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, as well as boxing two exhibitions in the southern American continent. But then, in his next fight of importance, on June 25, 1935, he was knocked out in six rounds by Joe Louis
, who would become world heavyweight champion in 1937.
For the next two and a half years, he had a rather ordinary record, winning 5 bouts and losing 3 out of 8 total fights. But in 1938, Carnera, a diabetic, had to have a kidney removed, which forced him into retirement until 1944.
Carnera's manager, Lou Soresi, stole much of Carnera's money and left him nearly broke. Because of Soresi's connection to Owney Madden
, belonging to the underworld, it has always been speculated across the boxing world that most of Carnera's fights were fixed. The book East Side, West Side: Tales of New York Sporting Life 1910-1960
took the rumors a step further, stating that "Most of the Italian giant's opponents were pushovers, paid to take a dive or too frightened to stand up for three minutes in a row". Jack Sharkey himself had to deny rumors about him taking a dive in his world championship fight with Carnera, swearing that he had not.
During his time off from boxing Carnera went to Hollywood and tried his fortune there, doing well in the city of the stars, participating in a number of movies — his later role in the 1955 British film A Kid for Two Farthings
being critically acclaimed. In 1945, he attempted a comeback to boxing, and he won his first 2 fights. But after losing to Luigi Musina
3 times in a row, he quit boxing for good. Carnera's record was of 89 wins and 14 losses. His 72 wins by knockout making him a member of the exclusive club of boxers that won 50 or more bouts by knockout.
In 1946, he became a professional wrestler
and was immediately a huge success at the box office. For a few years he was one of the top draws in wrestling. Carnera continued to be an attraction into the 1960s. Max Baer refereed at least one of his wrestling matches.
On March 13, 1939 Carnera married Giuseppina Kovacic (Her surname was changed from "Gavazzi" due to the Fascist regime).
In 1953 they became American citizens. They settled in Los Angeles
, where Carnera opened a restaurant and a liquor store. They had two children, one of whom became a medical doctor.
Carnera died in 1967 of a combination of liver
disease and complications from diabetes.
He compiled a record of 152 wins, 14 losses, 19 draws and 2 no contests in 187 wrestling matches.
starring Max Baer and Myrna Loy
. In the film, he plays the heavyweight champion who barely holds onto his title with a draw decision after a wild fight with Baer. The film, ironically, was made just the year before Carnera fought Baer for real, in a bout that was as wild as the film version, but ended with a KO loss for Carnera.
The movie Carnera: The Walking Mountain, directed by Italian director Renzo Martinelli, is the story of Primo Carnera's life, with Carnera's role played by Andrea Iaia. The world premiere of the movie http://thewalkingmountain.com/ took place on April 22, 2008 at Madison Square Garden
in New York City.
Carnera had a non-speaking bit part in the 1949 movie Mighty Joe Young. He played himself in the tug-of-war scene with the giant gorilla. After being pulled by the ape into a pool of water, Carnera throws a couple of futile punches to Joe's chin.
He also played a bully boy wrestler in Carol Reed's
film A Kid for Two Farthings
(1955) based around London's Petticoat Lane Market
where he has a match against a local bodybuilder who is getting married to Diana Dors
.
Primo also appeared in at least 10 Italian films between 1939 and 1943, as well as several in the 1950s, like Prince Valiant
, in the role of Sligon. His last screen role was as the giant Antaeus
alongside Steve Reeves
in Hercules Unchained (USA Title, filmed in Italy, 1959, original title Ercole e la regina di Lidia).
Primo features in the 2005 film Cinderella Man
, a film about the life of fellow boxer James J. Braddock
.
, Rod Sterling's 1956 Emmy Award
-winning teleplay for Playhouse 90
directed by Ralph Nelson
(who also won an Emmy), focused on down-and-out former heavyweight boxer Harlan 'Mountain' McClintock. The travails of McClintock, who was played by Jack Palance
(Sean Connery
played the part on British television and Anthony Quinn
assayed the role in the 1962 film) was thought by many boxing fans to resemble Carnera's life.
In 1947, fighting aficionado Budd Schulberg
wrote his novel, The Harder They Fall
, a story about a boxer whose fights are fixed. In 1956 a movie with the same name, and based on the novel, was released by Columbia Pictures
. In response, Carnera unsuccessfully sued the movie company.
song, "Ambling Alp," from their 2010 album Odd Blood
references Carnera by his nickname in the title and second verse. Both Carnera and German boxer Max Schmeling
are referenced for their bouts with American Joe Louis
.
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, nicknamed the Ambling Alp, who became the world heavyweight champion.
Biography
Born in SequalsSequals
Sequals is a comune in the Province of Pordenone in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 100 km northwest of Trieste and about 25 km northeast of Pordenone. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,187 and an area of 28.0 km²...
, then in the Province of Udine
Province of Udine
The Province of Udine is a province in the autonomous Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy, bordering Austria and Slovenia. Its capital is the city of Udine....
, now Province of Pordenone
Province of Pordenone
The Province of Pordenone is a province in the autonomous Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Pordenone. The territory was carved out of the Province of Udine in 1968....
, Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Friuli–Venezia Giulia is one of the twenty regions of Italy, and one of five autonomous regions with special statute. The capital is Trieste. It has an area of 7,858 km² and about 1.2 million inhabitants. A natural opening to the sea for many Central European countries, the region is...
(Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
), Carnera was a remarkable 6 feet 5½ inches (197 cm) tall and weighed 284 pounds (128.8 kg), at a time when the average height in Italy was approximately . Until December 19, 2005, when the 7 ft 1 in, 147 kg Nikolay Valuev won the WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
title, Jess Willard
Jess Willard
Jess Willard was a world heavyweight boxing champion. He won the heavyweight title from Jack Johnson in April 1915 and lost it to Jack Dempsey in July 1919....
who stood 6' 6½" was the tallest champion in boxing history. Carnera was an inch shorter but around 40 lbs heavier and was the heaviest champion in boxing history. He enjoyed a sizable reach advantage over most rivals, and when seen on fight footage, he seems like a towering giant compared to many heavyweights of his era, who were usually at least 60 pounds (27 kg) lighter and 7 inches (18 cm) shorter than he was. One publicity release about him read in part: "For breakfast, Primo has a quart
Quart
The quart is a unit of volume equal to a quarter of a gallon, two pints, or four cups. Since gallons of various sizes have historically been in use, quarts of various sizes have also existed; see gallon for further discussion. Three of these kinds of quarts remain in current use, all approximately...
of orange juice, two quarts of milk, nineteen pieces of toast, fourteen eggs, a loaf of bread and half a pound of Virginia ham." Because of his size, he earned the nickname "The Ambling Alp."
Boxing career
September 12, 1928 was the date of Carnera's first professional fight, against Leon Sebilo, in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Carnera won by knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
in round two. He won his first six bouts, then lost to Franz Diener by disqualification in round one at Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
. Then, he won seven more bouts in a row before meeting Young Stribling
Young Stribling
Young Stribling was a professional boxer in the Heavyweight division.He was the elder brother of fellow boxer Herbert Stribling.- Background :...
. He and Stribling exchanged disqualification wins, Carnera winning the first in four rounds, and Stribling winning the rematch in round seven. In Carnera's next bout he avenged his defeat to Diener with a knockout in round six.
In 1930, he moved to the United States, where he toured extensively, winning his first seventeen bouts there by knockout. George Godfrey broke the streak in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
by disqualification in the fifth round. Carnera lost a decision to Jim Maloney in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
to finish 1930.
In 1932, Carnera faced the tallest Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
in history up to that point, Santa Camarão
Santa Camarão
José Soares Santa , known as Santa Camarão or Zé Santa in Portugal, and as José Santa in America, was a Portuguese boxer who was the tallest known Heavyweight of all time in the 1930s.- Biography :Born to António Soares Santa and Josefa Pereira dos Santos in Ovar, Portugal, Santa was a remarkable...
, a 6'9" Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
fighter who was three and a half inches taller than he. Carnera won the fight by a 6th round decision
The year 1933 was one of the most important years in Carnera's life. On February 10, he knocked out Ernie Schaaf
Ernie Schaaf
Ernie Schaaf was a professional boxer. Schaaf is noted for boxing then-future heavyweight champion of the world Max Baer twice, the first time soundly beating Baer, and the second losing on decision....
in thirteen rounds in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Schaaf died two days later. For his next fight, Carnera faced the world heavyweight champion Jack Sharkey
Jack Sharkey
Jack Sharkey was an American heavyweight boxing champion. He was born Joseph Paul Zukauskas , the son of Lithuanian immigrants, in Binghamton, New York but moved to Boston, Massachusetts as a young man...
. The championship date was June 29, at the Madison Square Garden Bowl
Madison Square Garden Bowl
Madison Square Garden Bowl was the name of an outdoor arena in the New York City borough of Queens. Built in 1932, the arena hosted circuses and boxing matches. Its seating capacity was 72,000 spectators. It was eventually destroyed after years of disuse....
at Long Island. Carnera became world champion by knocking out Sharkey in round six. The fight came under the eye of fans and sportswriters alike when the uppercut that KO'd Sharkey was believed not to have landed. Rumours of a mob fix were brought up causing some to maintain Sharkey threw the fight.
He retained the title against Paulino Uzcudun
Paulino Uzcudun
Paulino Uzcudun Eizmendi was a Basque heavyweight boxer, who is considered to be the greatest heavyweight from Spain. Uzkudun is another variation on the spelling of his last name. He was the youngest of 9 siblings. In his youth, he became an Aizkolari or traditional competitive Basque wood chopper...
(who was attempting to become the first Basque world heavyweight champion) and Tommy Loughran
Tommy Loughran
Thomas Patrick Loughran was the light heavyweight boxing champion of the world.Loughran's effective use of coordinated foot work, sound defense and swift, accurate counter punching is now regarded as a precursor to the techniques practiced in modern boxing...
, both by decision in 15 rounds, but in his next fight June 14, 1934 against Max Baer, Carnera was knocked down 11 times and was defeated in 11 rounds.
After that, Carnera won his next four fights, three of them as part of a South American tour that took him to Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, as well as boxing two exhibitions in the southern American continent. But then, in his next fight of importance, on June 25, 1935, he was knocked out in six rounds by Joe Louis
Joe Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...
, who would become world heavyweight champion in 1937.
For the next two and a half years, he had a rather ordinary record, winning 5 bouts and losing 3 out of 8 total fights. But in 1938, Carnera, a diabetic, had to have a kidney removed, which forced him into retirement until 1944.
Carnera's manager, Lou Soresi, stole much of Carnera's money and left him nearly broke. Because of Soresi's connection to Owney Madden
Owney Madden
Owney "The Killer" Madden was a leading underworld figure in Manhattan, most notable for his involvement in organized crime during Prohibition. He also ran the famous Cotton Club and was a leading boxing promoter in the 1930s.-Early life:Owen Vincent Madden was born at 25 Somerset Street, in...
, belonging to the underworld, it has always been speculated across the boxing world that most of Carnera's fights were fixed. The book East Side, West Side: Tales of New York Sporting Life 1910-1960
East Side, West Side: Tales of New York Sporting Life 1910-1960
East Side, West Side: Tales of New York Sporting Life 1910-1960 is a sports book written by Lawrence S. Ritter and published in 1998. It is a Total Sports production and was distributed by Andrews McNeel....
took the rumors a step further, stating that "Most of the Italian giant's opponents were pushovers, paid to take a dive or too frightened to stand up for three minutes in a row". Jack Sharkey himself had to deny rumors about him taking a dive in his world championship fight with Carnera, swearing that he had not.
During his time off from boxing Carnera went to Hollywood and tried his fortune there, doing well in the city of the stars, participating in a number of movies — his later role in the 1955 British film A Kid for Two Farthings
A Kid for Two Farthings (film)
A Kid For Two Farthings is a 1955 film, directed by Carol Reed. The screenplay was adapted by Wolf Mankowitz from his own novel of the same name.-Plot:...
being critically acclaimed. In 1945, he attempted a comeback to boxing, and he won his first 2 fights. But after losing to Luigi Musina
Luigi Musina
Luigi Musina was an Italian boxer.He won twice the gold medal in the 1937 European Amateur Boxing Championships in Milan and the 1939 European Amateur Boxing Championships in Dublin, winning twice his final fights against Franciszek Szymura. Musina played in several duals: ITA vs. HUN , Europe vs...
3 times in a row, he quit boxing for good. Carnera's record was of 89 wins and 14 losses. His 72 wins by knockout making him a member of the exclusive club of boxers that won 50 or more bouts by knockout.
In 1946, he became a professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
and was immediately a huge success at the box office. For a few years he was one of the top draws in wrestling. Carnera continued to be an attraction into the 1960s. Max Baer refereed at least one of his wrestling matches.
On March 13, 1939 Carnera married Giuseppina Kovacic (Her surname was changed from "Gavazzi" due to the Fascist regime).
In 1953 they became American citizens. They settled in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, where Carnera opened a restaurant and a liquor store. They had two children, one of whom became a medical doctor.
Carnera died in 1967 of a combination of liver
Liver
The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
disease and complications from diabetes.
Wrestling career
In 1946 Primo Carnera became a wrestler and wrestled for 15 years until retiring in 1961.He compiled a record of 152 wins, 14 losses, 19 draws and 2 no contests in 187 wrestling matches.
Movies
Carnera during his championship reign played a fictional version of himself in the 1933 film The Prizefighter and the LadyThe Prizefighter and the Lady
The Prizefighter and the Lady is a 1933 black-and-white MGM crime romance comedy starring Myrna Loy, Max Baer, Primo Carnera, Jack Dempsey, and Walter Huston. It was the film debut for professional boxers Baer and Carnera. Carnera was the world heavyweight boxing champion at the time of the film's...
starring Max Baer and Myrna Loy
Myrna Loy
Myrna Loy was an American actress. Trained as a dancer, she devoted herself fully to an acting career following a few minor roles in silent films. Originally typecast in exotic roles, often as a vamp or a woman of Asian descent, her career prospects improved following her portrayal of Nora Charles...
. In the film, he plays the heavyweight champion who barely holds onto his title with a draw decision after a wild fight with Baer. The film, ironically, was made just the year before Carnera fought Baer for real, in a bout that was as wild as the film version, but ended with a KO loss for Carnera.
The movie Carnera: The Walking Mountain, directed by Italian director Renzo Martinelli, is the story of Primo Carnera's life, with Carnera's role played by Andrea Iaia. The world premiere of the movie http://thewalkingmountain.com/ took place on April 22, 2008 at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in New York City.
Carnera had a non-speaking bit part in the 1949 movie Mighty Joe Young. He played himself in the tug-of-war scene with the giant gorilla. After being pulled by the ape into a pool of water, Carnera throws a couple of futile punches to Joe's chin.
He also played a bully boy wrestler in Carol Reed's
Carol Reed
Sir Carol Reed was an English film director best known for Odd Man Out , The Fallen Idol , The Third Man and Oliver!...
film A Kid for Two Farthings
A Kid for Two Farthings (film)
A Kid For Two Farthings is a 1955 film, directed by Carol Reed. The screenplay was adapted by Wolf Mankowitz from his own novel of the same name.-Plot:...
(1955) based around London's Petticoat Lane Market
Petticoat Lane Market
Petticoat Lane Market is a fashion and clothing market located on Wentworth Street and Middlesex Street in East London.-The Modern Market:It is one of a number of traditional markets located to the east of the City of London. A few hundred yards to the north is Old Spitalfields market, which has...
where he has a match against a local bodybuilder who is getting married to Diana Dors
Diana Dors
Diana Dors was an English actress, born Diana Mary Fluck in Swindon, Wiltshire. Considered the English equivalent of the blonde bombshells of Hollywood, Dors described herself as: "The only sex symbol Britain has produced since Lady Godiva."-Early life:Diana Mary Fluck was born in Swindon,...
.
Primo also appeared in at least 10 Italian films between 1939 and 1943, as well as several in the 1950s, like Prince Valiant
Prince Valiant (1954 film)
Prince Valiant is a 1954 adventure film in Technicolor and Cinemascope, based on the comic strip of the same name by Hal Foster. A young man seeks to join the Knights of the Round Table in order to restore his father to his own kingship, and uncovers a plot against King Arthur.-Plot summary:The...
, in the role of Sligon. His last screen role was as the giant Antaeus
Antaeus
Antaeus in Greek and Berber mythology was a half-giant, the son of Poseidon and Gaia, whose wife was Tinjis. Antaeus had a daughter named Alceis or Barce.-Mythology:...
alongside Steve Reeves
Steve Reeves
Stephen L. Reeves was an American bodybuilder and actor. At the peak of his career, he was the highest-paid actor in Europe.-Childhood:...
in Hercules Unchained (USA Title, filmed in Italy, 1959, original title Ercole e la regina di Lidia).
Primo features in the 2005 film Cinderella Man
Cinderella Man
Cinderella Man is a 2005 American drama film by Ron Howard, titled after the nickname of heavyweight boxing champion James J. Braddock and inspired by his life story. The film was produced by Howard, Penny Marshall, and Brian Grazer.-Plot:James J...
, a film about the life of fellow boxer James J. Braddock
James J. Braddock
James Walter "The Cinderella Man" Braddock was an American boxer who was the world heavyweight champion from 1935 to 1937....
.
Depictions in Popular Culture
Requiem for a HeavyweightRequiem for a Heavyweight
Requiem for a Heavyweight was a teleplay written by Rod Serling and produced for the live television show Playhouse 90 on 11 October 1956. Six years later, it was adapted as a 1962 feature film starring Anthony Quinn, Jackie Gleason and Mickey Rooney....
, Rod Sterling's 1956 Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
-winning teleplay for Playhouse 90
Playhouse 90
Playhouse 90 is an American television anthology series that was telecast on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. It originated from CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California...
directed by Ralph Nelson
Ralph Nelson
Ralph Nelson was an American movie and television director, producer, writer, and actor.-Life and career:...
(who also won an Emmy), focused on down-and-out former heavyweight boxer Harlan 'Mountain' McClintock. The travails of McClintock, who was played by Jack Palance
Jack Palance
Jack Palance , was an American actor. During half a century of film and television appearances, Palance was nominated for three Academy Awards, all as Best Actor in a Supporting Role, winning in 1991 for his role in City Slickers.-Early life:Palance, one of five children, was born Volodymyr...
(Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
played the part on British television and Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn
Antonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
assayed the role in the 1962 film) was thought by many boxing fans to resemble Carnera's life.
In 1947, fighting aficionado Budd Schulberg
Budd Schulberg
Budd Schulberg was an American screenwriter, television producer, novelist and sports writer. He was known for his 1941 novel, What Makes Sammy Run?, his 1947 novel The Harder They Fall, his 1954 Academy-award-winning screenplay for On the Waterfront, and his 1957 screenplay for A Face in the...
wrote his novel, The Harder They Fall
The Harder They Fall
The Harder They Fall is a film noir directed by Mark Robson, featuring Humphrey Bogart in his last film before his death in 1957. The film was written by Philip Yordan and based on the 1947 novel by Budd Schulberg....
, a story about a boxer whose fights are fixed. In 1956 a movie with the same name, and based on the novel, was released by Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
. In response, Carnera unsuccessfully sued the movie company.
Music
The YeasayerYeasayer
-History:The band's three core members, Chris Keating, Ira Wolf Tuton, and Anand Wilder, first came to attention after appearing at the SXSW festival in early 2007. Their first single consisted of a double A-side of the tracks "Sunrise" and "2080"...
song, "Ambling Alp," from their 2010 album Odd Blood
Odd Blood
Odd Blood is the self-produced second studio album by American experimental rock band Yeasayer. Recorded in the state of New York during 2009, it was released on February 8, 2010 in Europe and a day later in North America, with Secretly Canadian as the primary label. "Ambling Alp", "O.N.E", "Madder...
references Carnera by his nickname in the title and second verse. Both Carnera and German boxer Max Schmeling
Max Schmeling
Maximillian Adolph Otto Siegfried Schmeling was a German boxer who was heavyweight champion of the world between 1930 and 1932. His two fights with Joe Louis in the late 1930s transcended boxing, and became worldwide social events because of their national associations...
are referenced for their bouts with American Joe Louis
Joe Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...
.